MILWAUKEE — The Cleveland Guardians opened their three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers with a frustrating 2-1 loss Tuesday night at American Family Field.
In a game dominated by pitching, Cleveland had chances to win but could not come up with the timely hit. The Guardians finished just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base.
Cecconi Continues Strong Stretch
One bright spot for Cleveland was starting pitcher Slade Cecconi.
The right-hander turned in another solid performance, allowing one run on three hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out several Brewers hitters and kept the game under control despite receiving little offensive support.
Milwaukee’s only run against Cecconi came on a solo home run by Brice Turang.
The outing continues an encouraging stretch for Cecconi as he looks to solidify his place in Cleveland’s rotation.
Arias Delivers the Equalizer
After being shut out for most of the night, the Guardians finally broke through in the seventh inning.
Stuart Fairchild worked a walk and later moved into scoring position. Gabriel Arias followed with an RBI single that tied the game at 1-1 and briefly gave Cleveland momentum.
With Jose Ramirez sidelined following hand surgery, the Guardians need players like Arias to step up offensively during the coming weeks.
Mitchell Answers Immediately
The tie lasted only a few minutes.
Leading off the bottom of the seventh inning, Milwaukee’s Garrett Mitchell launched a solo home run that put the Brewers back in front 2-1. The blast proved to be the difference in the game.
Cleveland threatened again in the eighth inning with runners in scoring position but failed to capitalize.
The Brewers bullpen closed the door from there, with Trevor Megill recording the save. Aaron Ashby earned the victory in relief.
Guardians Need Offense
The loss highlighted a growing concern for Cleveland.
The Guardians entered the game without Jose Ramirez, Angel Martinez, and Chase DeLauter, and the lineup struggled to generate offense against Milwaukee pitching. Cleveland managed only four hits on the night.
With Ramirez expected to miss several weeks, finding additional run production has become one of the club’s biggest challenges.
Looking Ahead
The Guardians will try to even the series Wednesday night behind Gavin Williams.
Williams enters the matchup with a 9-3 record and a 3.32 ERA, while Milwaukee is expected to counter with Brandon Sproat. Cleveland will be looking to avoid another missed opportunity as it continues a critical stretch of games in the AL Central race.